Preseason Poll Sets the Stage
The 2026 Ohio Valley Conference football race began with a clear favorite. In the preseason poll released this week, the University of Tennessee at Martin captured six of the eight first‑place votes and accumulated 47 points, positioning the Skyhawks atop the league’s early rankings.
UT Martin’s preseason placement is backed by a recent surge of on‑field success. The program has either won or shared the last four OVC championships and added FCS Playoff victories in 2021 and 2024, giving the team a pedigree that voters find hard to ignore.
Head coach Jason Simpson, now in his 21st season, is chasing a milestone. He needs just three more conference wins to climb to second place in league history, a benchmark that adds extra intrigue to the upcoming schedule.
The season will officially open on August 27, when five games kick off, including a conference showdown between Lindenwood and Charleston Southern. Eight schools will compete under the revived OVC brand, marking the end of a three‑year stint with the Big South Conference.
Other programs received modest support in the poll. Southeast Missouri earned a single first‑place vote and 38 points, while Lindenwood and Charleston Southern each garnered one vote and 37 points. Gardner‑Webb, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State round out the rest of the rankings.
The upcoming campaign not only promises competitive matchups but also signals a symbolic return to the OVC identity for the participating football programs. The league’s re‑branding reflects a strategic move to re‑establish its traditional footprint in the region.